From the Word

• Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.”
• Genesis 39
• “Joseph Protects Marriage”
  A retelling of Genesis 39 for young children.

Readings About Marriage

• “You Shall Not Commit Adultery” by Michael D. Gladish (ages 8-14)
  Provides a gentle introduction to the subject of adultery.
• The Opposition to True Marriage Love” by Andrew M. T. Dibb (ages 15 and up)
  Adultery is an act of selfishness that harms a person’s spiritual life.
• Tenderness in Marriage by Peter M. Buss, Sr. (ages 15 and up)
  A couple can build happy memories and a sense of caring for each other’s deepest feelings by showing kindness and consideration. It comes from a day-by-day commitment to be tender with one another.
• “Treasuring Marriage” by Brian W. Keith (ages 18 and up)
  The simple principles of charity, taught so clearly in the Sermon on the Mount, form the ground rules for a happy marriage: be helpful, do not attack with words or deeds, turn the other cheek and forgive, seek the Lord’s help in prayer, don’t be too critical, see the good of the other person.

Ideas for Discussion

1. The Lord gives the gift of true marriage love—on earth or in heaven—to everyone who tries to obey His commandments.
2. The story of Joseph shows us an example of someone protecting marriage. Joseph refused to sleep with another man’s wife because it was “a sin against God.”
3. Our actions and thoughts regarding the opposite sex, our spouse, marriage, etc. all have a role in supporting marriage or hurting marriage. So, we should avoid anything that harms marriage such as telling dirty jokes, looking at pornography, and using obscene language.
4. We are not responsible for the thoughts that pop into our heads, but we are held responsible for thoughts that we invite back into our minds and dwell on.
5. If we make a mistake and are truly sorry, we can ask the Lord to help us change our ways so that we can come back into order and work toward the ideal of true marriage love. The Lord is merciful and forgiving. But we will save ourselves and others much sadness if we avoid making mistakes in the first place.
6. The Word tells us that when we do something that honors marriage, we turn toward heaven, but when we do something that harms marriage, we turn away. This is because true marriage love (conjugial love) and adultery are opposites. The one is loving and unselfish while the other is selfish and hateful.
7. How can we protect the innocence of children and help teenagers look toward the ideal of marriage? It is good to be aware of how books and media may influence our ideas about romance and true marriage love and talk about false ideas they may present. We can also support the marriages of friends and family as well as reaffirming a commitment to our own marriage.
8. When we do the work of marriage—avoiding evils and living charitably—then the Lord can grant us that precious jewel of human live—truly conjugial love.

Projects and activities for various ages:

• The Lord Helps Us Have a Loving Heart (ages 3-6)
  It is the Lord who gives us true marriage love and who helps us make our hearts "clean." Make a picture of the Lord in the center of a large paper heart and put gold glitter all around!
• Create in Me a Clean Heart (ages 11 and up)
  This project can help us think about whether our thoughts and actions are creating a clean heart within us or not. If we are working with the Lord on having a clean heart, it can improve our marriage and our relationship with the Lord as well.
• Looking to Marriage by Donnette Alfelt (ages 14 and up)
  What can we do to work toward a marriage of trust and commitment to one partner, long before we find the right person or plan a wedding?
• Can You Learn About Marriage from Today’s Culture? (ages 12 and up)
  Does our culture let us glimpse true marriage love? If we could learn about marriage only from the world around us, what hope would there be for building a marriage that would last to eternity?
• Working Toward Spiritual Marriage
  Look at ways you can work toward a spiritual marriage, whether you are currently married or not.
• Picturing the Love of Marriage
  Compare true marriage love with the love of adultery, thinking of adjectives that describe the qualities of these opposing loves.
• Prayers for Adults: Treasuring Marriage
  Four prayers asking the Lord for help in protecting marriage by looking to Him and resisting what is evil.

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